Visa Run -- Border Crossings -- I am at Ranong, Thailand getting ready on the 21st to cross into Burma to get another 15 days in Thailand- November 2012

Guidelines

Smile

Say yes sir and no sir.

Always be polite

Always have a the correct docs

Take plenty of US dollars

Visa offices usually only open in mornings

Avoid a visa application towards a weekend.

Never pay bribes if you can help but sometimes it is unavoidable.

You must get a stamp to leave a country, and you need one to enter, do not listen to locals, they are not foreigners, the rules are different.

Wear long pants if you are a man, helps the guards respect you.

Waiting can solve many problems, if you are having problems, just stand there and wait, do not argue. Wait, eventually they want you to leave, the guards will find a solution.

Who will maybe pay a bribe?

Cynthia a Cote d'Ivoire girl traveling on just her identification card, left me in Lome, Togo in January of 2011, and traveled across Ghana. The Ghana police made her pay a 6000 CFA bribe at the first stop, and 4000 CFA at the second. She was on a direct "Ford" from Aflao to Elubo.

When I arrived Venezuela from Colombia, Travelled overland in Shared Taxi (huge oldsmobile sedan 1960s vintage) to Maracaibo and all the people who had cedula cards (ie those foreigners who were not required to have a passport) had to pay bribes to the army and police. about 4 or 5 stops and pays as I recall. I was the only one with a passport that was aboard and they ignored me each time.